Edward Lea's headstone in Old Episcopal Cemetery, Galveston, bears the young officer's final words: "my father is here."  Image courtesy Andrew Hall, Galveston.

Lieutenant Commander Edward Lea, U.S. Navy

(January 31, 1837 - January 1, 1863)

Our Camp is named in honor of Lt. Comdr. Edward Lea, USN, who died in the 1863 Battle of Galveston. Lea was serving as the executive officer of the U.S.S. Harriet Lane and was killed along with Jonathan M. Wainwright, the Lane's captain. Both Lea and Wainwright were buried in an unusual funeral service in Galveston following the battle. (Wainright, incidently, was the grandfather of General Jonathan M. Wainwright, IV, of World War Two fame.) A native of Tennessee, Lea was an 1855 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was a protégé of Admiral David Porter. He had risen rapidly through the ranks and was on the verge of another promotion at the time of his death. For details about his life and the unique circumstances about his demise, click on the below links:

Biographical Links about Edward Lea:

• My Father is Here! - The Edward Lea Story
• Lea's Confederate Family: His Dad and Uncle
• The Battle of Galveston - Site of Lea's Demise
• Edward Lea's Ship: The U.S.S. Harriet Lane
• Lea's Commanding Officer: Jonathan M. Wainwright
• Lea and Wainwright's unique funeral service
• The Confederate General who authorized Lea's funeral: John B. Magruder